FAQ

The injector on a diesel engine is its most complex component and has been the subject of a great deal of experimentation -- in any particular engine it may be located in a variety of places.

The injector has to be able to withstand the temperature and pressure inside the cylinder and still deliver the fuel in a fine mist. Getting the mist circulated in the cylinder so that it is evenly distributed is also a problem, so some diesel engines employ special induction valves, pre-combustion chambers or other devices to swirl the air (swirl chambers) in the combustion chamber or otherwise improve the ignition and combustion process.

One big difference between a diesel engine and a petrol engine is in the injection process. Most petrol car engines use port injection or a carburetor rather than direct injection. In a car engine, therefore, all of the fuel is loaded into the cylinder during the intake stroke and then compressed.

The compression of the fuel/air mixture limits the compression ratio of the engine -- if it compresses the air too much, the fuel/air mixture spontaneously ignites and causes knocking.

A diesel compresses only air, so the compression ratio can be much higher. The higher the compression ratio, the more power is generated.

Some diesel engines contain a glow plug of some sort. When a diesel engine is cold, the compression process may not raise the air to a high enough temperature to ignite the fuel.

The glow plug is an electrically heated wire (think of the hot wires you see in a toaster) that helps ignite the fuel when the engine is cold so that the engine can start.

According to Cley Brotherton, a Journeyman heavy equipment technician:

All functions in a modern engine are controlled by the ECU communicating with an elaborate set of sensors measuring everything from R.P.M. to engine coolant and oil temperatures and even engine position (i.e. T.D.C.). Glow plugs are rarely used today on larger engines. The ECU senses ambient air temperature and retards the timing of the engine in cold weather so the injector sprays the fuel at a later time. The air in the cylinder is compressed more, creating more heat, which aids in starting.

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